A known type of four-row tapered roller bearing for working rolls of roll stands is disclosed in DE-OS 42 06 764, which corresponds to U.S. Pat. No. 5,362,159. This roller bearing is constructed of axially multi-part inner and outer rings, with tapered rollers provided between the bearing rings. A partition groove is provided between the end faces of the inner rings that face each other and are directly positioned against each other. The partition groove is sealed by a sealing ring which is provided in its bore with peripheral ribs resting on the mantle surfaces of the inner rings. Between the ribs and the area of the inner ring mantle surfaces located between the ribs is formed a chamber which bridges the partition groove and is designed to hold lubricant.
This known design is intended solely for a specific application under specific operating conditions, e.g. lubrication, which means that several different versions of the roller bearing must be manufactured and kept in stock for the various possible operating conditions. This entails significant costs. This known roller bearing also brings with it the risk that wear may occur between the inner ring halves that experience movement relative to each other. This results at least in part because the heat elimination from the bearing inside is also not always sufficient.
A need thus exists for a tapered roller bearing that can be used universally for different applications, and in particular for different types of lubrication, A need also exists for a tapered roller bearing that ensures low wear as well as good heat elimination.